Mascalzone Latino raises the curtain and faces Emirates Team New Zealand

Dubai, 12 11 2010

In less than 48 hours, Italian sport will be presented with great opportunities to warm the hearts of fans in the Arab Emirates. On Sunday, November 14th, the last Formula 1 Grand Prix event of the year will take place in Abu Dhabi but a little bit further north, in Dubai, starts the last sailing adventure of the season for Mascalzone Latino Audi Team and it will be the “Latin Rascals” the first to battle it out on the water.

The draw for the opening flights of the Louis Vuitton Trophy took place in the village set up next to the Dubai Marine Club and the “Latin Rascals” will have to face, in the very first match, Emirates Team New Zealand, winners of the Trophies in Auckland and La Maddalena, and among the favorites to win this historic event.

They will be hard-fought races, explains Gavin Brady, skipper of Mascalzone Latino Audi Team: “As the Challenger of Record we have a great responsibility, but we are now here, focused on this event where we want to reward our sponsors in this last stage of the Louis Vuitton Trophy, trying to achieve the best possible result. The same sponsors can be a good starting point for the future of our team. This group was born from Vincenzo Onorato’s willingness. It’s an international team, we are, and we have been since the beginning, very united, not an easy task to compete at the highest level.”

The opening press conference gave the opportunity to add a nice touch of local color: The skippers entered the race village riding on camels, each one holding the national flag of his team.

The racing format of the regatta, which kicks off on Sunday, November 14th, includes a first Round Robin, lasting five days, in which each team will sail every other team twice; two days will then be spent on exhibition events, and racing will resume with the second Round Robin, lasting three days, where the teams will face each one only once.

For the first time ever, there will be a one-day fleet racing regatta, right before the semifinals and finals.